Delicious plant-based, mushroom tacos, ready in minutes! Perfectly caramelized, chipotle-spiced mushrooms make a filling and satisfying vegan taco recipe. Top with a quick salad made from jicama, radish, and arugula, plus a few scoops of ripe avocado for a quick, easy and healthy dinner!
I didn’t make these Vegan Chipotle Mushroom Tacos with vegans in mind. I made them because I have an unforgiving love affair with mushrooms.
My main goal was to stuff as many deeply caramelized, slightly spicy mushrooms into a tortilla, and so I did.The results turned out to be vegan! And DELICIOUS!
what kind of mushrooms to use
I used every mushroom I could find at my Trader Joe’s—which means FOUR kinds of mushrooms. But you could totally use just one variety, or two, whatever you want. Here’s what I suggest:
- Portobello Mushrooms. I just love the juicy, meaty flavor of these big mushrooms.
- Shitake Mushrooms. These might be a bit hard to find, depending on where you live, but they have great, chewy texture.
- White Button Mushrooms. Classic, tasty, and available everywhere.
- Crimini aka Baby Bella. These have a delicious, tight skin that crisp when cooked.
how to perfectly caramelize mushrooms
The secret to making these tacos taste incredible and not like a taco full of gummy worms is to cook the mushrooms in a way that deeply browns the outside and leaves them with crispy edges, while the insides stay juicy. Here’s a few pointers:
- Don’t rinse the mushrooms with water. Clean by wiping with a paper towel.
- Use the largest skillet you own. This is the one I use.
- Place the skillet over medium-high heat and add a generous amount of olive oil. Get it really smoking hot.
- Add just enough mushrooms to cover the pan and no more. Work in batches if you have to.
- Toss the mushrooms in the oil just to coat and then leave them alone.
- Let them cook, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Then cook, stirring until tender and cooked through.
- DO NOT season them with salt until the very end.
other ingredients
Clearly the mushrooms are the star of the show here but let’s talk chipotle chili powder for a second.
If you don’t like things spicy, you can use a mild chili powder, like guajillo chili powder or ancho chili powder instead, but I would give the chipotle chili powder a try first. It has such a delightful, smoky flavor that really adds something special to this taco filling.
You can read more about chili powders and other Mexican ingredients in my Mexican Pantry Guide.
To top the tacos (because I always need something bright and crunchy) I made a quick slaw of julienned jicama and thinly sliced red onion tossed in lime juice, salt, and a little oil.
Don’t be freaked out by that fancy julienne term, just cut the jicama into small pieces so you can easily eat them.
I also sprinkled on a few thinly sliced radishes, some wild arugula, and a few wallops of avocado—I have a slight obsession with toppings.
These vegan chipotle mushroom tacos (if you don’t count the jicama slaw) have a grand total of four ingredients.
Well, five with the tortillas, but you get the picture. Very few ingredients because the combination of golden brown mushrooms and garlic needs very little.
variations
Want to add more veggies or take the spice in a different direction? Here are a few suggestions, but I want to encourage you to share with us any riffs you make on this recipe in the comments.
- Add bell peppers and onion. After the mushrooms are done cooking remove them from the pan, add a tablespoon more oil, then add the onion (sliced) and peppers. Cook until tender and starting to brown then add the peppers and cooked onions to the mushroom mixture.
- Put a few splashes of soy sauce in the pan at the end, for that extra umami kick. Of course, leave this out if you want to keep it gluten free.
- Shaved red cabbage would be great in the jicama salad for some extra crunch.
other vegan/vegetarian recipes to try!
- Deep Dish Black Bean Enchilada Casserole
- Fried Green Tomato Burritos
- Black Bean Pupusas
- Sweet Potato Nachos with Black Beans and Smoked Cheddar
- Spicy Cinnamon-Spiked Sweet Potato Tostadas
- Fried Plantain Cemita Sliders
- Green Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs
Healthy Dinner in a Flash!
If you make these Chipotle Mushroom Tacos, let me know how you like it! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno or leave me a comment below!
Vegan Chipotle Mushroom Tacos
Super fresh and simple vegan tacos with chipotle spiced mushrooms, jicama slaw, and avocado.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Crimini mushrooms, wiped clean, ends trimmed and sliced
- 4 ounces white button mushrooms, wiped clean, ends trimmed and sliced
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed
- 8 ounces portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, ends trimmed and sliced
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2-1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (depending on how spicy you'd like it)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 warm corn tortillas, for serving
- Ripe avocado slices, for serving
For the Jicama Slaw
- 1/2 large jicama, peeled and cut into thin strips
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 radishes, ends trimmed and thinly sliced
- 1 large handful arugula
- Juice of 1/2 a lime
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the slaw: Combine jicama, red onion, radish, and arugula in a large bowl. Squeeze lime half over the vegetables, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Toss with your hands until everything is evenly coated. Taste and add more lime juice or salt if needed. Set aside.
- Begin cooking mushrooms. Heat olive oil in the largest frying pan you own over high heat. Once oil is very hot, add mushrooms a handful at a time until the bottom of the pan is covered but not crowded. Depending on the size of your pan you may need to do this in batches. If so, divide the oil so you don't use it all at once.
- Caramelize mushrooms. Let mushrooms cook, undisturbed, until they are golden brown on the bottom. Give a stir and continue cooking until they are about 80% golden all over. Add the chipotle and salt and cook a minute more. Remove from pan and continue cooking the other batches of mushrooms if your pan is too small to fit all of them at once.
- Serve! Pile the mushrooms into the warm tortillas. Top with slaw and avocado slices and enjoy!
Notes
If you cook too many mushrooms in the pan at once you will boil them instead of caramelize them. Cook in batches to get them extra crispy.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 544Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 479mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 18gSugar: 16gProtein: 10g
In support of this small business, ¡Hola! Jalapeño earns revenue in a few different ways. Several sponsored posts are published each month. I also earn an affiliate commission on the sales of products I link to— there are a few of those links in this post. I only feature items I genuinely love and personally use on a regular basis. This commission is an arrangement between the retailer and ¡Hola! Jalapeño (readers never pay more for products). This income allows me to run the site. Thank you for reading!
Previous
Me encantan los naxos! Pero siempre los hago con carne, la verdad es que esta es una opción diferente y seguro que muy sabrosa!
¡Gracias Mavi! Creo que realmente te van a encantar estos tacos, ¡no te perderás la carne en absoluto!
Wow these tacos look so delicious! I love mushrooms,and I like that you used different types. Oh and the corn tortillas look perfect!
Thank you so much Blanca!! They are so simple and satisfying!
Estos tacos los voy a probar pronto. El umami que le deben dar esa variedad de hongos! Mmm.
¡Sí! Son riquisimas.
I just want to bite the screen now! Love mushrooms in every shape and color!
Thank you Enri! Then you are going to LOVE these tacos!